Chinese President proposes “Global Security Initiative” to counter QUAD

• Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Asian nations to keep the future of the region in their hands
• He proposed a Global Security Initiative respecting the sovereignty of all countries amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
• This new Initiative put forward by the Chinese President will look to counter the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy and the Quad – the India, U.S., Australia, Japan grouping

Global Security Initiative

• The programme, which was conceived as a global public benefit, aims to enhance international peace and stability by promoting equity and justice among nations.
• Chinese President has divided his suggestion into six sections to achieve it which are as follows:
  • Maintain commitment to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and long-term security, and collaborate to keep the world safe and secure;
  • Maintain a commitment to upholding all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity, refraining from interfering in their internal affairs, and respecting people's individual choices of development routes and social systems in different countries.
  • Remain faithful to the UN Charter's goals and ideals, reject the Cold War mindset, oppose unilateralism, and reject group politics and bloc conflict;
  • Maintain commitment to taking all countries' legitimate security concerns seriously, upholding the principle of indivisible security, developing a balanced, effective, and long-term security architecture, and opposing the pursuit of one's own security at the expense of others' security;
  • Maintain a commitment to peacefully resolving differences and conflicts between countries by dialogue and consultation, to support all attempts to peacefully resolve crises, to reject double standards, and to oppose the use of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction without justification;
  • Maintain a commitment to security in both traditional and nontraditional sectors, and collaborate on regional conflicts and global concerns including terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity, and biosecurity.

Key propositions made by Chinese President

• China rejects the indiscriminate application of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, which appears to be a reference to Western sanctions.
• It is being claimed by him that "certain nations” were ready to engage in exclusive small circles' and small groups' terminology that Chinese officials have previously used to describe the Quad and the AUKUS (Australia-United Kingdom-United States) security agreement.
• It was adamantly opposed by him to use the 'Indo-Pacific' strategy to split the area and usher in a 'new Cold War,' as well as the formation of a 'Asian version of NATO' through military alliances.
• It is being claimed by him that China respects the fundamental spirit of multilateralism.

Conclusion

Chinese criticism of unilateralism, hegemony and double standards is usually aimed at the U.S. A gradually weakening America replaced by a multipolar world is being envisioned by China in which it is a major player.

Exam Track

Prelims Takeaway

• QUAD
• Global Security Initiative
• AUKUS
• NATO

Mains Track

Q. China aims to counter QUAD by its new Global Security Initiative. Explain.